When to make the decision about putting the cat down

[FeebysOwner]

At this point, given all that you have said, all I can offer is to ask you to give your cat a kiss and a long comforting hug from me before you put him down. It will mean a lot to me. I wish your beloved cat the best in the peace you hope he will find from getting rid of all the frustrations he is (as are you) currently experiencing.

 

[Joelle and the kittens]

You can always just wait it out without doing any treatments or visiting the vet and see if things actually worsen. If they stay the same (vomiting hairballs once a week?) it's probably manageable without much intervention. It's probably more humane to have him pass on his own at home where he's comfortable than it is to bring him to a vet or have one visit to perform euthanasia.

 

[Meowmee]

But that is a mischaracterization. He is dangerous to humans and himself. Every trip to the vet he lashes out.. at the vet techs and anything in his eye site. Pulling out his own nails and who knows what he does to things we can't see. He spends the entire trip lashing at his carrier / plastic box. Yes, I have now gotten a plastic storage bin and put a whole bunch of holes in it as that seems the safest way to avoid him getting his claws stuck. So I don't see how it is possible to have him examined without hurting him, me or the vet techs. And so far, every vet takes this far too lightly... even though it is documented on the record. One suggested I get a bigger carrier, one suggested a smaller. One suggested that I get a top open carrier one suggested that is not good because the cat will try to hold on to to the door. They just are unable to deal with the situation and happy to send him packing as soon as possible.

One time a vet tried to get his blood in the room with me. With two humans and a towel they just barely got it. They were never able to it again.

I don't think it is sad, my cat is 16, that is 80 human years. I have given him a good long life filed with love. If he dies on March 12, 2022 with hardly any upset to his life or October 12, 2022 being dragged to the vet every 10 minutes and not understanding why, or suffers side effects of drugs that make him feel horrible or give him a stroke or heart failure, I think the first option is the better one.

I will give him one more try. As I said to the vet, it it is not successful I wlll be making an appointment for putting him down.

I think you should go back to the dvm you said was able to examen him. What was different that time? How was he able to examen him and kitty didn't get so upset? Was he medicated?
Definitely demand a different medication, each cat is different. They could also try a light sedation. Also insist in being in the room with him at all times. Wear a mask etc.

ultimately it is your decision what to do re pts, never an easy one. Even if that is the plan I would try to make it as unstressful as possible and get him premeds that work.
For me, I would do a light sedation, get the bw and see what is going on. If it is not ht, just carry on as is- none of what you describe seems life threatening enough for pts for me.

 

[mommytobuck]

I think you should go back to the dvm you said was able to examen him. What was different that time? How was he able to examen him and kitty didn't get so upset? Was he medicated?

She is no longer in the profession. He was not medicated. My cat was VERY upset. He was wrapped in a towel with two vet techs on top of him and the vet trying to get blood from the paw. I think the thing is that my cat gets smart. So at that time he didn't understand what they were doing so he was concentrating on other things but now... he has figured out if they pull his paw out he will concentrate on that. I think he wasn't ready for what he was doing. Even myself have trouble getting him to let me examine him. Typically to cut his nails or examine something I have to sneak up on him when he is asleep. And then it is like a 2 second sneak.

But is it me? That was a KNOCK DOWN FIGHT. At the age of 8. With two vet techs and the vet. I was in the room. It seems dangerous for him to do that with a potential thyroid problem (high blood pressure) etc. at the age of 16.

ou can always just wait it out without doing any treatments or visiting the vet and see if things actually worsen. If they stay the same (vomiting hairballs once a week?) it's probably manageable without much intervention. It's probably more humane to have him pass on his own at home where he's comfortable than it is to bring him to a vet or have one visit to perform euthanasia.

Ok thank you. I have been feeding him fish for his entire life -- I have done my best to avoid it but he likes it best. So I have decided to completely re do his diet. Low Iodine foods. I am also going to try some raw food. I did have a cat pass away on me once at home at it was horrible. He was crazy miserable for quite a bit.

 

[mommytobuck]

So here is another question. My cat is very easy to get urine from. Ironically. If it helps anyone I found out that if I put a plastic bag in the litter box he will still go and you can just scoop up the urine.

He had a urine test last July and it was 100% normal. At the time I was worried about kidney damage or diabetes. But all came back normal. His specific gravity was right in the middle of the normal range (what it has historically been) and no sugar. He also did not have protien in the urine... and I understand that is a marker of hyperthyroidism.

Wondering if I had to could I monitor the condition by urine analysis.

 

[FeebysOwner]

He also did not have protien in the urine... and I understand that is a marker of hyperthyroidism.

While protein in a cat's urine may denote hyperthyroidism, it is not a reliable marker. A good example is my cat who had a negative result for protein in her urine, but her blood work which was done at the same time indicated she was hyperthroidic.

 

[Meowmee]

She is no longer in the profession. He was not medicated. My cat was VERY upset. He was wrapped in a towel with two vet techs on top of him and the vet trying to get blood from the paw. I think the thing is that my cat gets smart. So at that time he didn't understand what they were doing so he was concentrating on other things but now... he has figured out if they pull his paw out he will concentrate on that. I think he wasn't ready for what he was doing. Even myself have trouble getting him to let me examine him. Typically to cut his nails or examine something I have to sneak up on him when he is asleep. And then it is like a 2 second sneak.

But is it me? That was a KNOCK DOWN FIGHT. At the age of 8. With two vet techs and the vet. I was in the room. It seems dangerous for him to do that with a potential thyroid problem (high blood pressure) etc. at the age of 16.



Ok thank you. I have been feeding him fish for his entire life -- I have done my best to avoid it but he likes it best. So I have decided to completely re do his diet. Low Iodine foods. I am also going to try some raw food. I did have a cat pass away on me once at home at it was horrible. He was crazy miserable for quite a bit.

I have never had a ht kitty. My grandfather had graves disease and had the iodine treatment and then thyroid hormone replacement and lived until 91. I have hashimitos and take meds. I think there are transdermal meds as someone mentioned so you can just rub it on the ear or something so if you got him the iodine treatment he could live quite a while and be OK.

Of course you have to find out if he actually is hyperthyroid or if it’s other things that are causing his symptoms. Yes it will be stressful to get him to a doctor again however they can give him a sedative injection when he gets there and that will take care of being able to examine him and take blood etc. you can also pre-medicate him with something other than gabapentin to calm him down before you get there. Have you ever tried the cannabis oils?

Anyway otherwise it may be best to just let him keep on as is and let him pass at home if that’s going to happen.

Years ago one of my kitties was very difficult to get to Dvm and we used to give her medication I don’t remember what they gave her now.

 

[mommytobuck]

While protein in a cat's urine may denote hyperthyroidism, it is not a reliable marker. A good example is my cat who had a negative result for protein in her urine, but her blood work which was done at the same time indicated she was hyperthroidic.

Yes it will be stressful to get him to a doctor again however they can give him a sedative injection when he gets there and that will take care of being able to examine him and take blood etc. you can also pre-medicate him with something other than gabapentin to calm him down before you get there. Have you ever tried the cannabis oils?[/QUOTE]

Again, not sure why I don't have vets that do this but this has never happened. All the times I have taken him to the various vets (and this includes normal vets and ERs) and there have been many, he has been dumped into a glass structure where they gassed him OR, he was given Ketamine... (usually after the initial gas) which I hate giving him because he reacts so badly. During the fight to get him sedated... he pulls out nails... (or the vets do) Then they send him back to me with a bloody foot actively bleeding. If it was so easy to give him a shot I can't imagine why my cat has come home so destroyed. And again, my cat refuses anything but Gabapentin, and absolutely nothing else has worked either. I have tried everything in 16 years. My cat doesn't seem to respond to sedatives. Not like other cats.

In addition if a shot was so easy can someone explain to me why the at home vets were not able to do that? I mean, I dosed the cat with Gabapentin and put up a large gate. And my (at the time 14 year old cat) managed to jump the gate and get up under the bed. And the at home vets were not able to handle him.

The last time they talked about putting him down at home they said that there was a shot they could give him -- when there were putting him down - that would knock him out but that it was only for putting him down... I took it that it might not be safe to give him otherwise.

This week I have made a number of changes to his diet. I have raised his feeing dish and am giving him some raw food. I have reduced the fish and he has mostly chicken. He is also getting the sensitive stomach dry food. So far, so good. It has been 5 days since throw up. And he has seemingly slept though the night -- pretty well. I am wondering if something I was giving him in his food was irritating his stomach. Wondering if the raw food is giving him better nutrients.

If the weather holds out this weekend I am going to try the Gabapentin and see how it goes.

 

[mommytobuck]

Well this thread is really good for tracking his throw ups.. he Just threw up again, furballs... about 1 week after the last throw up. I mean the odd part is that he doesn't throw his food up. He only throws furballs up. It seems to me like hyperthyroid cats throw their food up.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Well this thread is really good for tracking his throw ups.. he Just threw up again, furballs... about 1 week after the last throw up. I mean the odd part is that he doesn't throw his food up. He only throws furballs up. It seems to me like hyperthyroid cats throw their food up.

I personally am not convinced your cat is hyperthyroidic, especially if there is no weight loss involved - the most common indicator of all. However, and regardless, throwing up food vs. hairballs really has nothing to do with hyperthyroidism either. Feeby rarely ever throws up food, nor did she before she was diagnosed with and treated for hyperthyroidism. She throws up a hairball about once a month on average, occasionally twice.

 

[mommytobuck]

I personally am not convinced your cat is hyperthyroidic, especially if there is no weight loss involved - the most common indicator of all. However, and regardless, throwing up food vs. hairballs really has nothing to do with hyperthyroidism either. Feeby rarely ever throws up food, nor did she before she was diagnosed with and treated for hyperthyroidism. She throws up a hairball about once a month on average, occasionally twice.

No he has lost weight. Over about two years he has gone from 16 lbs to 13.8. He has been stable at 13.8 since November. And he was having trouble with a limp this summer so I was absolutely trying to get him to lose weight then and his limp has improved. He was 15 or so lbs in May. I mean I made a concerted effort over the summer to get him to lose weight. It was only in November when it looked like he had lost weight that I checked his weight.

While I wait for the vet appointment I am going to see if I can can't comb him more see if perhaps he is just poor at grooming now. It seems the throwing up is about 1x per week... and almost always hair balls.

I have my doubts. What makes me doubt is that he is not ravenous. He eats almost exactly what he always has. If anything has changed it is that he prefers smaller meals now. So instead of him getting the full 3oz. he might he 1/2 of it and go to sleep (food makes him sleepy). One of my thoughts on that was that I thought maybe it is difficult for him to stand long enough to eat the whole thing. I could see him losing weight if he only eats 1/2 and then I put the food away. His urine was perfection last year. And for the most part, I feel like he is in good shape. He did have an xray of the abdomen and bloods in winter of 2020 and that was all normal.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I have my doubts. What makes me doubt is that he is not ravenous. He eats almost exactly what he always has. If anything has changed it is that he prefers smaller meals now.

Feeby was never ravenous either, just the weight loss. She, too, has decided she would like to eat less at one time - but I think that has more to do with 'old age' than anything else.

Feeby lost weight, some of that I thought was due to her deciding she didn't want dry food anymore and went to a solely canned food diet. But then the weight loss didn't stop after that, it kept going. Overall, she went from over 17 pounds to what she weighs now just around 11.5 pounds (maintained by H-T meds and an appetite stimulant). I can't tell you how much she lost as a result of just going from dry food to canned because I thought that was all good for her. It was a while after her change over, that her weight kept dropping.

Going back a way in previous posts/threads - which I think you have been asked already - can he tolerate some butter/margarine? Just a dab of it from your finger or on his paw to lick might help with passing hair balls. If he eats any canned food. a drop or two of olive in his food might be another idea. As long as he is willing to eat either, there is no harm in seeing if it could help pass hairballs through his system.

 

[mommytobuck]

Going back a way in previous posts/threads - which I think you have been asked already - can he tolerate some butter/margarine? Just a dab of it from your finger or on his paw to lick might help with passing hair balls. If he eats any canned food. a drop or two of olive in his food might be another idea. As long as he is willing to eat either, there is no harm in seeing if it could help pass hairballs through his system.

I am giving him Cat Lax -- is butter better?

I had a storm of an idea today, that I going to try. A few years ago (like 8 years ago) I purchased him a cat bed that eventually I noticed he was throwing up fur balls a lot. The bed had like fur texture (it was pretty long). I noticed he was licking it... and the fur was coming off and going into him. I got rid of it and the throwing up stopped. Today's hair balls seemed a little gray (this was the first time I think I could see them clearly because I have tried to stop feeing him fish (which is brown) and fed him chicken - which allowed for the throw up to be more clear) -- my cat has black fur... but his bed, a bed I got him about August of last year, has a gray fur like feel to it. And if you comb it with the comb like gray peach fuzz comes off that can easily look like cat fur. So I hate to do it to him because it is his favorite bed but I am putting it away for a while and see if that works.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I am giving him Cat Lax -- is butter better?

Cat lax contains: Cod liver oil, caramel, lecithin, malt syrup, white petrolatum, 0.1% sodium benzoate, (preservative), 0.036 I.U./g Vitamin E (dl-alpha-tocopheryl Acetate) (antioxidant), purified water.
Butter/margarine contains: a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 80% butterfat. Margarine is made from vegetable oils, so it contains unsaturated "good" fats — polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. These types of fats help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad," cholesterol when substituted for saturated fat.
Olive oil contains: a liquid fat obtained from olives, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil.
Can't answer which one is more effective for hairballs. I personally would rather give my cat the latter two.

but his bed, a bed I got him about August of last year, has a gray fur like feel to it. And if you comb it with the comb like gray peach fuzz comes off that can easily look like cat fur. So I hate to do it to him because it is his favorite bed but I am putting it away for a while and see if that works.

Would kind of think he would be licking it 'bald', so to speak, if he is ingesting the 'fur' from it? Any chance to make a cover for it so that he still has his bed, but can't lick the fur off of it? Maybe a towel covering? His scent should permeate the towel. Just a thought....

 

[mommytobuck]

Would kind of think he would be licking it 'bald', so to speak, if he is ingesting the 'fur' from it? Any chance to make a cover for it so that he still has his bed, but can't lick the fur off of it? Maybe a towel covering? His scent should permeate the towel. Just a thought....

I got a shirt and put it over it but so far, he doesn't know what mommy's doing but he isn't going back until he gets it like he wants. This is it, you can see on the sides it is like furry.

MIDWEST Quiet Time Fleece Dog Crate Mat, Gray, 22-in - Chewy.com

He has other beds that don't have the "fur" and he stopped using them because he liked this one. And fyi, I didn't buy this bed for him, it was an error on Chewy's part and they just said, keep it. He love it id best from the first day and it was in October (got it in August) I first noticed the more than usual throwing up hair balls.

I will try the butter. Probably will help put weight on him.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I will try the butter. Probably will help put weight on him.

Not a lot of butter, just a dab of it. I doubt if in moderation it would add weight, but I guess you never know!

 

[mommytobuck]

Not a lot of butter, just a dab of it. I doubt if in moderation it would add weight, but I guess you never know!

I gave him a dab. Unfortunately my cat thew up again today. I am stuck in today due to the ice storm. I am wondering why he seems to throw up at the same time every day. Around 1 ish. And, each time, he has not eaten in hours (he gets his breakfast around 6 am) and then goes to sleep until he wakes up around 1ish.

It was another throw up with hair in it but it was less hair. I suppose maybe if he has a stomach full of peach fuzz due to the pet bed it will take time to clear out. If I don't get a break in the throw ups I will take to take him in.. earlier than his scheduled visit.

I did weigh him today and he remains at 13.8.

Tomorrow I am going to try giving him a dose of Gabapentin and, weather willing, put him in the carrier and drive him around and see if he quietly just sits there. Or meows as usual. If I can't get him into the carrier it will allow me to monitor how out of it he is and if I can get him to eat the entire pill... we were concerned the last time that because the pills were so large (large 50 mg pills) that he didn't get the correct dose so we switched to 1 large pill being 200 mg.

ETA 1: I did find that he left me a poo (not sure if he did it before or after throw up) I decided to take a look at it and yes, it was jam packed with some sort of "hair" like material. It was more like it was all hair like material in the center with poo around it.

ETA 2: I went to his "loveseat" that his beds are on and I cleaned it from head to toe. It was absolutely full of fur. So imagine what the bed was? So I got rid of all the beds... vacumed the love seat, cleaned up the rest with a comb and a wet latex glove. I am embarrassed if I am supposed to clean it more often but I probably assumed that he wouldn't be sheading too much during the winter. I remain convinced that at least 50% of what seems to be the issue is the "furr" of the pet bed. But I am sure having a lot of hair on the bed and in the area couldn't help either.

 

[mommytobuck]

Well that did not work. He threw up in the middle of the night. I guess I am still hoping that it is still related to having a lot of fur in his belly. This throw up had no fur.

 

[reba]

This is an excellent video. I probably should look for a place to post it permanently on TCS (if there is such a thing):

 

[Lisa1974]

My cat is 15 going on 16 and it has been a tough year. Originally I had an appointment to put him down in winter 2020... but I failed to go. Then he got sick this summer and some medication seemed to make things better. But more and more I am having issues with him and I am having trouble deciding.

First, his quality of life doesn't seem great.
- he sleeps about 18 hours a day. I understand this is normal for older cats. But I have this feeling it is due to pain.
- when he isn't sleeping he cries for food. It is almost like a habit. The food seems to make his tummy feel better.
- his eyes are perpetually droopy. And sometimes they water.
- he does throw up more than usual and has hair balls.
- sometimes he has diahhrea.. and has gone outside his box a few times.
- he has terrible arthritis. Sometimes it seems like he pops a leg out, and i see him walking with like a popped out leg.
- he rarely moves around a lot, this year, pretty much being confined to the first floor.
- he doesn't really liked to be touched.
- he was always brutal going to the vet before but now he is so downright miserable I don't see anyway they could examine him without real issues for him.

My gut is saying that I am just living in denial and should man up and end this thing now.

My vet is also, imho, not supportive. She seems to have it in her head that we can get two or three more years out of him... but as it is now he has asthma meds, and I pretty much put *something* in his food every time I feed him. Supplement, medication etc. Everytime I call to make the appointment I find them not helpful. Always saying they will have to examine him to do it... when they know that will just make things worse... but I have found all vets this way now, like they have some new standard of care to do an exam to make sure he is a suitable candidate.

But mostly it is me not being able to man up and do it.

Also, in prior years I was able to make the decision and get it done quickly. Now, when I call, either they put roadblocks in the way or it takes 3 weeks to get an appointment and that usually makes it so I talk myself out of it.

Help? Just something I have to man up and do?

Hi, I am sorry to hear what is going on My opinion but to each their own.. We can not keep our sick pets alive only for US.. we never want to put them down, I know how hard it is, I had gotten a kitten from my Grandmas nurse while she was in hospice.
Well as he got older he started developing several health issues, costing a lot of money & vet even said he should just be put down, to much money for things that will only help for so long. but it was extremely hard to put him down. it broke my family's heart
but if we do not do what we know is best for our pets, it is wrong on our be half that they stay & suffer just for our greediness of wanting them with us.ya know what I am saying? I wish everyone felt this way because it is sad to see someones pet miserable feeling, even if they are on a 2 week med. that relax`s them. Your not guilty for putting your pet down...just think, he/she will not be in pain anymore. This is going to sound sad but Just be by their side & talk to your baby while Dr gives him the shot.
Stay strong